The influencer is currently between stages of a clinical trial to treat her cholangiocarcinoma, the rare bile duct cancer with which she was diagnosed at 23
Credit: Sydney Towle/TikTok
NEED TO KNOW
- In her latest updates, Sydney Towle revealed that her cancer is now significantly impacting her physical health, and she is currently unable to walk far on her own without experiencing pain
- The influencer, 26, said that she intends to move in with her mom, since it’s become too difficult to live on her own
- Towle recently shared that her cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer, has progressed with new tumors in her lungs, but she is currently between stages of a clinical trial that is expected to proceed in early July
Sydney Towle posted "a candid health update" as she continues to endure pain and other difficulties related to her rare bile duct cancer.
Earlier this week, the content creator revealed that her doctors found that she now has tumors in her lungs. Towle, 26, is currently in between stages of a clinical trial involving tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy. Despite her cancer's progression, she said she is expected to move forward with the process. In early July, she is expected to begin the next stage, which involves a three- to four-week hospitalization.
In two new videos shared on Thursday, June 11, the influencer told her 1 million TikTok followers about the heightened toll her illness has taken on her body. Towle was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma at age 23, and she noted in her video that she's "been able to retain my physical health for a long time," though she's recently experienced noticeable changes on that front.
Credit: Monica Schipper/Getty
"Physically, I am not doing well. It's hard," she said. "It's gotten to the point where I can't walk too much. I get really out of breath, and when I have my mom, I lean on her, and people probably think that she's using me as a crutch, but it's actually the other way around."
Since she's unable to walk far on her own, Towle said she is struggling to live on her own in her current apartment, where she has to climb five flights of stairs. In a follow-up video posted hours later, the TikToker said she has decided to move in with her mom, regardless of whether or not she's able to end her lease early.
She began the second post by stating that she was recording it while staying at a hotel near the hospital, which a friend "very generously" arranged for Towle. "Things just keep getting rapidly worse," she explained. "I've been calling supportive care just because the pain and the nausea [are] just really not controlled."
Towle continued, "I'm trying to just keep swimming. I'm trying to put one foot in front of the other. It just feels like my feet are like 20 lbs. heavier now … I know that it's obviously a scary situation, but I'm really grateful that so many people care."
The online advocate referred to the next anticipated stage of her TIL therapy trial as she added, "I just really want to make it to July 1st and take it from there."
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Less than one month ago, Towle made headlines with her appearance at Miami Swim Week, modeling beachwear designed for post-cancer bodies in The Chemo Club x Post Swim show. The runway show came just over a week after she was confronted with a harrowing update from her former oncologist, who said he was no longer willing to treat her cancer.
As she explained in TikToks posted after the unsettling exchange with the doctor, Towle refused his suggestion that she transition to end-of-life care. She has since switched to seeing a new specialist, who cleared her to travel to Miami for Swim Week.
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